14th Carolina Freight Employee Reunion: A Gathering Of Memories

8:46 AM EST |September 25, 2024|Wise News Network|Business, Events, History, News Articles, People

By: Rusty Wise – Wise News Network

Cherryville, NC (WNN) – The C. Grier Beam Truck Museum hosted the 14th Annual Carolina Freight Employees Reunion on Saturday, September 21st, 2024. More than 120 individuals attended the reunion at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall at 107 W Academy St in Cherryville, NC.

A view of the entrance to the Carolina Trucking Reunion. — _{Entrance to the First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall, during the 2024 Carolina Freight Reunion. August 20th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

This year, the Carolina Freight Employee Reunion was held at the First Presbyterian Church in Cherryville for the first time after many years at the First Baptist Church. Angie Upchurch, a Beam Truck Museum Board member, was instrumental in choosing the location. She expressed her enthusiasm for the new venue, saying, “It’s great that we can have the reunion here. Walking in the parking lot is easy, and you can hear and see well in the fellowship hall. The guys love this reunion; some even beat me here, and I have the keys to get in.”

C. Grier Beam Truck Museum

Before the reunion, which started at 11 AM, many gathered to reminisce at the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum just a couple of blocks down the street. The 9 AM to 10:30 AM welcome reception featured coffee, refreshments, and plenty of Carolina Freight memorabilia to gaze upon, including the famous old Carolina Freight trucks.

The trucks inside of the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum. — _{The C. Grier Beam Truck Museum Interior. August 20th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

The Carolina Freight Employee Reunion had several individuals who spoke, including Master of Ceremonies John Rudasill, Museum Co-Director Stan Bumgarner, and Keynote Speaker Allison Brewer, Marketing Director for Carolina Freight Credit Union. Will Upchurch, Pastor of Long Creek Presbyterian Church, said a prayer and blessed the food before the event commenced.

_{Stan Bumgarner, the Co-director of C. Grier Beam Truck Museum. August 20th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

Bumgarner thanked the volunteers who made the reunion possible this year, including his wife and Museum Co-Director Kathy Bumgarner, Cheryl McGinnis, Angie Upchurch, Andrew and Carol Bumgarner, Tony and Tammy Mosteller, Dan Ginn, Howard and Marie Harrill, Pam Anthony and William Upton. ” I would like to thank these individuals for helping with this reunion and helping at the truck museum as well; this is the largest crowd we’ve had in a while; we even had to bring out more tables and chairs this year,” Said Bumgarner.

Carolina Federal Credit Union:

Along with the C Grier Beam Truck Museum, the Carolina Federal Credit Union (CFCU) has been a long-standing sponsor. Keynote Speaker Allison Brewer, representing the Carolina Federal Credit Union, spoke about the Credit Union’s history and service to the community. Per Brewer, the Credit Union started in 1969 as a non-profit financial institution created for the employees of Carolina Freight. With the vision of Jack Jenkins and other founding members, they created a non-profit that focused on helping members instead of maximizing profits, and that vision is still in use today.

When Carolina Freight was sold in 1995, the Credit Union membership was expanded in mid-2000 to encompass all residents of Gaston and Cleveland Counties, NC, along with member relatives.

Brewer stated:
“Today, Carolina Federal Credit Union offers a full range of financial services, including savings accounts, checking accounts, loans, credit cards, and more. Carolina Federal Credit Union is federally chartered, meaning it is regulated by the National Credit Union Association. This ensures that members’ deposits are insured, making the credit union a safe and secure place to bank. As Carolina Federal Credit Union looks toward the future, it continues to stay grounded in the values that have driven its success by focusing on personalized services, community engagement, and affordable financial solutions. So, because of you, we can now serve many people across several counties who need access to affordable financial solutions. So, I am coming to you today to thank you so much for everything you have done and for helping us found the credit union.”

Carolina Federal Credit Union of Cherryville NC. A red and grey building. — _{The Carolina Federal Credit Union located at 1200 East Church Street in Cherryville, NC. August 24th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

The CFCU, which has only one location, is at 1200 East Church Street in Cherryville, NC, across from the former Carolina Freight Main Office location, which is no longer there. It currently has over 70 million in assets that serve its 7,400 members.

14th Carolina Freight Employee Reunion:

After Brewer’s speech, John Rudasill asked the audience how many Carolina Credit Union members there were, and almost half the room raised their hands. Attendees came from near and far to attend this year’s reunion. When asked where they came from, one attendee, Jerry Neal, came the longest distance, 519 miles, from Smyrna, Florida. The attendees were drivers, dock workers, mechanics, office personnel, salespersons, and others who worked for Carolina Freight over the years.

Food being served by Party Girls Catering at the Carolina Trucking Reunion. — _{Party Girls Catering, providing a BBQ meal to the 14th Annual Carolina Freight Reunion. August 20th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

With Ronnie Whitaker’s help, Gary Davis provided the apples for the table settings. The Arthur Green family provided some of the Carolina Freight memorabilia items. Party Girls Catering provided the BBQ with all the trimmings and desserts. Kermit Carpenter took pictures and supplied last year’s reunion photos for attendees to take if they wished. Upchurch Garden provided the decorative flowers and door prizes. Wise Electric Control Inc.—Mister Sparky also provided door prizes for the reunion event.

Image gallery image — _{Table setting and memorabilia on display at the 14th annual Carolina Freight Reunion. August 20th, 2024 by Mason Beam (WNN)}

The Carolina Freight Reunion means a lot to all in attendance. Many attendees worked at Carolina Freight for over 30 years, some even over 40. Carolina Freight developed families, employed entire families and even several generations of families. Even though Carolina Freight is no longer with us, the memories and passion for that company are still felt today.